The future for sports funding in the UK - grassroots, commercial revenue streams, and the future elite funding strategy

This timely seminar will assess the future funding landscape for sport in the UK - looking at public funding at both elite and grassroots levels, as well as potential opportunities for sports to diversify their funding sources and develop new revenue streams.

Delegates will consider priorities for the funding of elite sport in the short to medium term following the Government’s recent announcement of a new £3m Aspiration Fund for Olympic and Paralympic sports outside of the World Class Programme, lasting until the end of the 2020 Olympic cycle.

They will also look at elite sport funding in the longer term, including findings from UK Sport’s recent Public Consultation into the future funding of elite sport.

Discussion will focus on the framework for future public funding allocations, as well as opportunities for attracting greater private investment and diversifying revenue streams, utilising assets, and tapping into opportunities around rights, broadcasting and sponsorship.

Further sessions will examine the impact of a multi-sectoral, ‘whole systems’ approach to addressing inactivity and delivering wider social and public health outcomes from investment in grassroots sport, following the publication of the Civil Society Strategy.

Attendees will consider further issues around maximising the social impact of funding - including measuring returns, community engagement and challenges around cross-departmental working.

We also expect discussion on priorities for developing closer links between elite and grassroots sport, including the talent pipeline and issues around transitioning from a grassroots setting to elite programmes, as well as considering the extent to which governing bodies should be supporting and funding sport at the grassroots level.

Keynote Speakers

Nico Heslop

Head of Sport, DCMS

Liz Nicholl

Chief Executive Officer, UK Sport

Chair

Gavin Newlands MP

Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Sport)

Speakers

Steven Day

Head of Participation, The FA

Jane Ashworth

Chief Executive, StreetGames

Ed Warner

former Chair, UK Athletics and Author, Sport Inc.: Why money is the winner in the business of sport